Studio Ghibli-inspired animated film The Imagination is moving and adventurous (Review)

2024 is the year of imaginary friends with films like IF from director John Krasinski and the horror film Imaginary from Lionsgate. then, we have The Imagination from director Yoshiyuki Momose, known for having worked on Studio Ghibli animated films, including Porco Rosso, Spirited AwayAnd the Grave of the Fireflies. It will be available on Netflix on July 5, 2024 and debuted at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Market. I had the chance to watch the animated film and I think it will be nominated in many award shows. The Imagination is an imaginative, funny, sad, moving and captivating tale.

I’m usually one to watch anime in the original Japanese language, but with The Imagination, the western setting and the talent intrigued me. The English dub is overall solid and very fitting to the setting with voice actors including Hayley Atwell as Lizzie, Jeremy Swift as Mr. Bunting, Kal Penn as Zinzan, Louie Rudge-Buchanan as Rudger (very appropriate name) and Evie Kiszel as Amanda. .

The story follows a young girl named Amanda and her imaginary friend, Rudger, as they both embark on great adventures. They have a special bond, and they will need each other to escape the wrath of a mysterious character named Mr. Bunting, a human who can see Imaginaries and also has a taste for Imaginaries. Imaginaries have special bonds with their humans, but once humans grow old and forget, Imaginaries disappear. Rudger’s journey takes him to a special sanctuary where forgotten imaginations live.

Looking at The ImaginationI thought about IF a lot since both films were released the same year. IF follows a real girl, but The Imagination focuses on the imaginary young boy. Both deal with losing a loved one and forgetting imaginary friends, but I have to give it to The Imagination to provide a more engaging and sincere experience. There are characters that I love and support, and the film knows how to touch my heart.

Imaginary characters are fun and come in all shapes and sizes. A few are even lost imaginings of historical figures like Shakespeare and Beethoven. Emily, another human fantasy, helps Rudger on his journey, and they are accompanied by Snowflake the hippopotamus and Zinzan the cat. The bad guy is Mr. Bunting and he is scary. He is accompanied by a pale young girl with long black hair (think The Ring), and they can be scary for younger children.

With Momose and Studio Ponoc working on the film, the film has that Studio Ghibli touch. To further elevate the film, the hand-drawn animation features plenty of shadows, highlights, and colors, giving it a painterly aesthetic.

The Imagination has a lot of heart and adventure and dives deep into loss and love in a compelling way. The English dubbing is top-notch, the animation is imaginative, lively and detailed and the characters are endearing. It’s one of the best animated films of the year.

Rating: 4.5/5 Atoms